I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the construction industry and more particularly to the provision of a baseboard molding, more commonly called a cove base molding, which is capable of being applied to the base of a wall in conjunction with flooring material to provide a baseboard effect. More particularly, the invention pertains to a baseboard molding which is capable of being removed once it has been applied so that at desired times the baseboard molding may be removed for maintenance, painting or like activities and then replaced in its original position without having to destroy the molding and/or wall surface, and without having to replace the molding or any particular backing attachment material.
II. Description of Prior Art
The elastomeric baseboard molding is well known in the construction industry and has in the past been conventionally applied to a wall and its intersection with a floor by utilizing a suitable adhesive on the back of the molding, and then placing the molding against the wall so that the adhesive will set firmly and hold the baseboard molding to the wall.
In the prior art, the conventional method for applying such baseboard molding strips includes the steps of cutting a proper length of the molding and then applying suitable adhesive to either the back of the molding or to the wall to which the molding will be attached. Frequently when the installer applies the molding to the wall excess paste is pressed out of the junction point and is normally smeared on the wall, especially if the molding is misaligned when being installed and the installer corrects the misalignment by repositioning the molding. In the past it has also been found that it is difficult to secure a tight fit of the molding against the wall at the top of the molding and against the floor at the bottom of the molding if there are any irregularities in the floor. With such irregularities, the installer usually is forced to bend the molding as much as possible to effect a fit, but then this means that the freshly applied paste is squeezed out of the molding and onto the wall surface which will make a smeared finished product. Not only that, but the paste has very little shear strength and the molding will not stay flexed to matingly engage with the irregular floor surface to obtain a tight seal with the floor.
In order to prevent the problems of the conventional baseboard cove molding strip application process, a pressure sensitive adhesive has been proposed to cover the backside of the cove molding so that the molding may be then more easily affixed to the wall surface. Such a system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,408,250. However, with such a system certain problems still exist in that the adhesive so utilized still does not have sufficient shear strength to maintain the molding in the proper position against the wall.
In addition to the problem noted in the above system of the referenced patent, it is obvious that if the molding needs to be removed for adequate cleaning and sterile environments, or if it is desired to repaint the wall and avoid splattering paint on the molding as is now quite common, there is no way to remove the molding, paint the wall, and then replace the molding with the prior adhesive, since it is well known that once the original adhesive seal is broken the adhesion quality is significantly reduced.